jppe

Do it!!!

I’ve been the timer for our Senior Games cycling events in NC. There is a really wide range of skill levels and equipment used at the events. We had people riding beach cruisers with baskets and fellas wearing work boots. There was also expensive bikes and riders with all the TT equipment. But regardless everyone seemed to enjoy participating and meeting other riders. Don’t expect to win but do expect to have fun......and isn’t that why we ride???

Random11

Didn't see that, John. Thanks for the link. Those records are well beyond my ability. I'll enjoy participating though. I've run many foot races over the decades but this will be my first experience in a cycling competition.

big john

Are you planning on a test ride? You can figure out how to meter your effort. It'll be fun!

Wildwood 

Good first Post @BikesReviewed01

What 50+ bikes have you reviewed? Once?


This one might be my best 50+ TT bike. Meaning shortest headtube. Swap wheels for lightweights with 23mm tires
edit: i first checked the WA State 10k TT route and it is slightly hilly route with a good many turns.
not sure what a yellow lines restriction means? .... = not run on a 'closed to traffic' route?..Surely not.

the drops are rather deep as well.
i am 2nd owner. 1971/72, model Giro 'd Italia.
Only minor changes from original. Seatpost (pic shows original) and RD upgrades.
Nicer tubular tires than 50+ years ago.
Same frameset as on top model = Bottecchia Professional. (Campa equipped) - with Columbus SP.

caloso

That’s like when friends of mine showed up to the District championships with their tandem. They were the only entrants in the 40+ miixed tandem time trial. They got jerseys and everything. But it’s who shows up, right?

freeranger

Do it. Sounds like you want to, so what's to stop ya?! It's not always about finishing first.

Gerry221

Do it!!

Who caresif you come last or first?

Just go out and enjoy riding your bike.

if anyone looks down their nose at you, its there problem, no yours.

Do it with a smile on your face!

asgelle

Yellow line rule means riders must stay to the right of the yellow line (or for multilane roads, possibly within the rightmost lane). In the U.S., it's not uncommon for races to be run on roads open to traffic. However, there are many steps promoters can take to provide a safe environment for riders.

caloso

It's pretty standard to have mass start races on roads that aren't fully closed to traffic. I don't know Olympia, but judging from the satellite photos, they look like pretty quiet country roads. There's likely to be a trailing moto ref, possibly a wheel truck behind the peloton.

Random11

Probably a good idea, because this ride will be so different (so much shorter) than any bike ride I've ever taken, but I don't think I will. I'll just show up and see how it goes.

rowerek

I do not have a gravel bike so I cannot fully relate to your dilemma, however, I know from my own experience that on the road: bike, wheels and tires make quite a bit difference.

I have started my second bike life with hybrid bike and initially I was thinking I was quite fast while commuting at about 14mph. Then when I ventured more on the roads populated by road bikes I discovered that I was very slow no matter how hard I tried. Next I bought old classic road bike, Centurion Elite RS, not my size, too small, but cheap and very C&V (~1985). After first few road trips I decided I need helmet and earplugs, the speed was scary as I was reaching dangerous speed of 16-18mph . Next I bought used Specialized Roubaix, CF frame, Ultegra and Ksyrium wheels, that moved me into max speed about 18-20mph. My final upgrade was a second hand Colnago with Zipp 404 wheels. This added a definite and audible swoosh factor to my speed, if I pushed it I could get, for a very short distance, to about 24mph.

The final conclusion and recommendation is: you should definite participate, I would if anything like this would be offered in my area.
The only upgrade I would consider it to change your gravel tires to slick road tires, however, even this is very optional.

OldTryGuy

I just looked to my left at the medals hanging from curtain rods my wife put up on the wall and saw my 2014 5K Silver Senior Medal and 10K Gold Senior Medal hanging in with the other 5K, 10K, 10 Mile, 1/2 Marathon, Marathon, 70.3 Triathlon and Ironman Triathlon medals.

REMEMBER -- the 5K and 10K are TT's and as such you should be going ALL IN during the rides so they can be pretty challenging as apposed to the 40K RR with drafting.

GOOD LUCK and HAVE FUN.

Random11

I do plan to get new wheels and tires, but my plan is to get them along with a second bike. I haven't done so yet because bikes seem to be in very short supply. Meanwhile, I'm sticking with what have for this ride... and I'll blame a poor showing, if I have one, on inappropriate equipment!

Random11

I appreciate the advice from someone with some experience. As a novice riding a gravel bike in a time trial, I'm not expecting to set any records, but I do plan to push it at the start and hope I don't run out of gas at the end. I figure my best chance at placing is if few people show up in my age group. I'm figuring that if, say, three people show up in my age group, I should be able to snag third place. Having never done this before, I have only a vague idea about what to expect.

zandoval 

Yep... Dude It!

But for me its a question of how well I can still ride in a pack. A few years ago I was surrounded by some guys finishing up a long ride. Suddenly I was surrounded by 10 or more bikes all very, very close. I got pretty nervous. Last time I had been in a pack was 1976...

caloso

Not an issue in the TT, which makes it a great event to start racing.

jppe

I rode my first TT on my mountain bike. I wasn’t the slowest rider neither. It was 10 miles long and my time was under 30 minutes. Over the years I was able to shave 7 minutes off that first time by using a TT bike with TT wheels plus I was much fitter

SkyWave

Absolutely, go for it. Modify your equipment as some suggest, but just do it.
I did a local 40km Gravel event in 2015, 2016, 2018. Injury 2019, COVID cancelled 2020, 2021.

In 2018 I moved into the 70+ age group and WON much to my surprise. My times had not varied more two minutes in three attempts..
It was a great feeling to finish at 232 out of 570 and knowing there were only 6 riders older than me.

Random11

Great story, SkyWave. I am going for it, but will ride on the equipment I have. Perhaps I'll be surprised like you were, but at this point I'm just doing it for the experience.

Another first for me this week is that I plan on going on a group ride on Thursday. I've only been riding a bit more than three years and have only ridden by myself or occasionally with my son. There's a group ride that starts at my LBS and they encouraged me to join them Thursday, so I will.

Before I started riding, I was a runner (before my knees gave out) and entered many local races. Like you, I'd judge my performance against those my age and older. The final standings might have shown me in 145th place, but if only five people my age or older finished ahead of me, I'd claim to have finished sixth.

linberl

Mmm, why is this even a question? The only thing you have to lose is an entry fee. Hopefully you get a cool tee shirt for participating! I'm 71, we have less time to try things and enjoy things, so - again - why is this even a question? HELL YES.

caloso

This reminds me of my father-in-law, who couldn't wait to age up in order to qualify for the Boston Marathon. He was never much of a runner, but he had lived for a while in Newton, MA, and was inspired to do it, just because why not. Figured his best chance to qualify was after turning 75 and timed his training perfectly, even hunting out the best qualifying race.

bblevens

Agreed.
If you have to ask - should I? - you already know you want to.
Enjoy the event. You’re young. Try new things.
My uncle rode from Louisville KY to St. Pete FL at the age of 80. And 90.

ofgow

I did one time trial. I was in my early 60's at the time. It was a 40K sponsored by the local bike racing club. I got my head handed to me. It didn't matter. I passed another (much faster) rider at the finish line. People cheered for me. I learned the difference between riding in triathlons (stay below anaerobic threshold on the bike to save something for the run) and time trials (leave nothing on the table). It was a wonderful experience. Do it.

Random11

Thanks to everyone who encouraged me to do the time trials. I rode both the 5k and 10k time trials, and much to my surprise came in second in both--in my age group. There were five people in my age group (70-74) in both races.. No other age group had more than two riders. More than my finishing place, I just enjoyed the event. I see the logic of scoring riders by age group, but one interesting thing is that had I been one age group younger (65-69) I would have won that age group by a pretty good margin. But if I had been one age group older (75-79) I would have finished third. There were only two riders in the 75-79 age group and both had faster times than mine. There were 12 riders total in all age groups and I was fifth fastest overall. One rider faster than me was younger, and three who were faster than me were older. The fastest rider overall in both events was 74. Basically in this event, the age group division kept the old fast guys from finishing ahead of the younger slow guys.

spelger

see, these are the younger ones that will aspire to be as fast as you. glad you took on the challenge.